Back to school 101: At-a-glance calendar for first semester

August 25, 1:56 PMOrlando Parenting ExaminerRobyn Kurth

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It's that time of year again--be sure to mark down
all of your child's school activities in the family
calendar.

If you are the parent of a school-aged child, you are taking life one semester at a time. Now is the time to start marking those at-a-glance calendars with all of the important commitments for the first semester of school (the version below applies to a typical to-do list for the primary elementary school grades, but feel free to add FCATs, driver’s education, homecoming dance dress shopping, and college applications for your older children and teens).

August:
• New clothes
• New school supplies
• Meet the teacher

September:
• Orientation meetings
• Homework
• School picture day
• Watching the tropics
• School picture makeup day
• Scholastic book sales
• School fundraiser

October:
• More homework
• Stock up on Halloween candy
• Create Halloween costume out of gently used dance leotard
• Parent-teacher meetings
• Quarterly report cards
• Restock up on Halloween candy
• Scouting fundraiser

November:
• Did I ever have this much homework?
• Stop noticing holiday decorations in stores because they’ve been up for over a month
• Prepare for Thanksgiving Day weekend
• Begin baking frenzy that won’t end until New Year’s Day
• Restock on select school supplies

December:
• Locate sweatshirt and other “winter” clothing items
• Locate backup sweatshirt when child leaves first sweatshirt at school
• Remember to label all sweatshirts with child’s name and classroom
• Start fielding calls from friends and family who want to visit Orlando this winter
• Buy Christmas gifts while children are at school
• Don’t forget the teachers’ gifts!
• Wonder how much longer it is feasible to play the “Santa Card”
• Volunteer to bake cookies for Christmas classroom parties
• Quarterly report cards
• Two weeks without homework!

For more info: Read a back to school checklist for students and parents, plus federal H1N1 (swine flu) guidelines for schools.